Deep water casting bobber



Feb. 16, 1965 J. n. EKSTRAND DEEP WATER; cxsms; BOBVBER:

2 Sheets-Sheet: 1

Filed July 5, 1963 INV EN TOR JERO ED. Ems-mm) BY m ATYQRNEY! Feb. 16,1965 J. D. EKSTRAND 3,

DEEP WATER CASTING BOBBER Filed July 5, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR.JERoMED. Em'mnuo W WM Arromvsmr United States Patent 3,169,339 DEEPWATER CASTING RUBBER Jerome i). Ekstrand, 3669 South 4409 West, SaltLake Eity, Utah Filed July 5, 1963, Ser. No. 293,055 8 Claims. (Cl.43-4311) This invention relates generally to casting bobbers andparticularly to bobbers used for casting in deep water.

Fishing by casting in deep Water presents problems both in casting andin reeling-in. This is due primarily to the required length of the linebetween the bobber and the sinker and hook necessary to suspend the hookat the desired depth below the bobber. When casting, the hook and lineare difiicult to control because of this length of the line. Whenreeling-in, the bobber normally forms an obstacle which prevents reelingthe line in beyond the point at which the bobber is attached to theline. The present invention is designed to alleviate these difficulties.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which thesame numerals designate corresponding parts and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation, partially in section, of the castingbobber according to the present invention shown with the clutch engaged;

FEGURE 2 is a somewhat enlarged fragmentary side elevation, partially insection, of one end of the bobber showing the details of construction;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary side elevation, in section, of the centralportion of the bobber shown with the clutch disengaged;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view, partially in section, showing thedetails of construction of the clutch mechanrsm;

FIGURE 5 is a transverse section on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 1 and in thedirection of the arrows; and

FIGURE 6 is a transverse section on the line 66 of FIGURE 1 and in thedirection of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings, the casting bobber according to thepresent invention comprises a buoyant elongated ovoid body, indicatedgenerally at 10. The body It) is comprised of similar top and bottomsections each comprised of an outer conical body shell 11 and an innerconical body shell 12. The inner body shell 12 ts within and is spacedfrom the outer body shell 11 in order to provide a buoyant gas chamber13 of annular cross section. The body shell portions are desirablymolded from a rigid lightweight synthetic resinous plastic material.

The narrow end of each of the shell portions is provided with an openingfor the passage of line. The outer shell 11 is desirably provided withan inwardly extending lip 14 extending around and spaced inwardly fromits end opening. The small end of shell portion 12 is then seated in thecup thereby formed. An eyelet 15 is then desirably provided to furnish aguide and smooth passage for the line and to assist in maintaining theshell portions together.

Theopposite end of outer shell portion 11 is provided with an integralthreaded collar 16 by which the top and bottom sections are secured to acenter section 17. The body shell portions are of circular cross sectionand collar 16 is internally threaded. Center section 17 is similarly ofcircular cross section and is threaded ex ternally.

The inner body shell 12 is provided with an outwardly extending flange13 by means of which the inner shell is held in place with respect tothe outer shell and the buoyant chamber 13 is maintained. The shellportions are secured together by means of adhesive or heat seals3,159,339 Patented Feb. 16, 1965 or otherwise in order to provide asubstantially Water tight gas chamber between the inner and outer shell.

The center section 17 to which the top and bottom body sections aresecured is generally in the form of an annular ring. Within this ringthere is journalled for rotation a pair of spools or reels 19 and 29.Spool 1th is supported from a shaft 21 which is journalled for rotationin one side of the annular ring center section 17. Spool 20 is supportedon a clutch member 22, one end of which is a shaft 23 journalled forrotation in the opposite side of the annular center section 17. The axisof rotation of spools 19 and 2t) defined by shafts 21 and 23 is cantedslightly from perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bobber sothat the path of travel of line between the spools and eyelets issubstantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation.

The hub 24 of spool 2% is hollow and clutch member 22 reciprocateslongitudinally therein. The clutch member may be of any convenientnon-circular shape so as not to be rotatable Within the hollow hub. Theinnermost end 25 of the clutch member 22 is non-circular in crosssection and is adopted to engage a recess 26 of similar cross section inthe hub of spool 1%.

A coil spring 27 surrounds the circular cross section shaft portion 23of the clutch wit-bin the hollow hub 24 to normally apply resilientpressure against the clutch to urge it into engagement with the clutchrecess as of spool 19. Thus, as shown in FIGURE 1, when the clutch is inengagement with spool 19, both spools will rotate together. However, theclutch may be disengaged by pulling on knob 28 against the resilientpressure of spring 27. When this is done, spool 20 can then be rotatedindependently of spool 1% by turning knob 28.

When knob 28 is released, the spring pressure urges the clutch back intoengagement with the hub of spool 19. If the end of the clutch 25 is notin alignment with the recess 26 when the knob 28 is released, the knobis turned a partial turn until the members are in alignment and can snapinto engagement.

A line passage 293tl is provided through both spools 19 and 20. Passage29-30 extends radially inwardly into the hub of spool 19 then axiallyalong the axis of rotation of both spools and thence radially outwardlythrough the hub of spool 20 on the opposite side. The line passage ispartially defined by passage 31 formed in the clutch member 22.

In the operation of the deep water casting bobber, the bobber is firstdisassembled by unscrewing the buoyant top and bottom sections from thecenter section. The fishing line 32 is then introduced through the topeyelet 15 and the hollow center of the top body section and into passage29 of spool 19. At this stage of the operation the clutch is inengagement with spool 19. The fishing line'is threaded through thepassage 29 into the passage 30. The line portion extending out frompassage 30 is threaded through the bottom body section and out througheyelet 15 at the end of that section. A sinker and hook are attached tothe free end of the line.

The top and bottom body sections are threaded unto the center bodysection 17 in order to assemble the bobber. Enough line 32 is pulledthrough the bobber to permit fishing at the desired depth. For deepwater fishing, this length of line is substantial. Depths of 10 feet tofeet or more are not uncommon.

When the desired length of line is pulled through the assembled bobber,the Winding knob 28 is then pulled out to disengage the clutch fromspool 19. The line is held with the finger at the top eyelet 15 toprevent rotation of spool 19 through frictional engagement and thenspool 20 is rotated by means of knob 28 to wind all of the line belowthe bobber to the sinker and hook on spool 20. When this is done, knob28 is released and rotated a partial turn until the clutch engages spool1Q.

The assembled bobber, hook, line and sinker are then cast in the usualmanner. Whenthe assembled bobber lands on the water, the weight of thehook and sinker, as they sink through the water, causes the line woundon spool 20 to become unwound. Because the clutch'is now in engagementwith spool 19, both spools rotate to-- gether. Accordingly, as line isunwound from spool 29 by the weight of the hook and sinker, acorresponding length of line is wound unto spool 19 from the supply onthe reel on the fishermans rod. Because of the greater diameter of spool1Q, a greater length of line will be wound onto spool 19 than originallywound on spool 20.

Whenall of the line is unwound from spool 20 when the hook and sinkerare at the desired fishing depth, the spools assume a state ofequilibrium which is maintained until'a fish is hooked. When a fish ishooked, tension is exerted on the line to the bobber and from the bobberto the rod and reel. This tension on the line causes the stored line onspool 19 to unwind. Because the clutch is in engagement and both spoolsrotate together, as line is unwound from spool 19, line between thebobber and sinker is wound unto spool 20 When the bobber is reeled in tothe end of the fishermans rod, all of the line will be unwound fromspool 19 and all of the line between the bobber and the sinker and fishhook will be wound unto spool 20 bringing the fish which has been caughtto a point just below the assembled body, from where he can be easilyremoved. When the .fish is removed from the hook, the bobber is againready for casting.

If it is desired to reset the bobber for fishing at a different depth,this can be done by pulling the line from the bottom of the bobber tothe maximum depth position. This will cause line'to be wound unto spool19. Then the winding knob 28 is pulled out and held from rotating whilethe line is pulled at the top eyelet until the line is unwound fromspool 19. When the line is adjusted to the desired depth, the windingknob 28 is rotated to wind the line below the bobber unto spool and theknob is then released to permit the clutch to engagespool 19.

One of the spools is provided with an annular rib or ridge 33 centeredon the axis of rotation and the other spool is provided'with a matingchannel or groove. This insures that the only relative motion of thespools is rotary. 7

It is apparent that many modifications and variations of this inventionas hereinbefore set forth may be made without departing from the spiritand scope thereof. The specific embodiments described are given by wayof example only and the invention is limited only by the terms of theappended claims.

- I claim:

1. A deep water casting bobber comprising (A) a buoyant bobber body,

(B) a pair of rotatable fishline winding members within said body, I

(1) said winding members being separate, but (2) engageable to permitrotation together,

(C) disengageable connecting means extending between said windingmembers to permit one of said winding members to be rotatedindependently,

(D) knob means secured to one of said winding members adapted whenturned to rotate said one winding member independently,.an d' a f (E) apair of line guides r I I (1) at opposite ends of the bobber body 1 (2)each adapted to guide different segments of the same continuous fishlinetoone of said winding members. l

2. A bobber according to claim 1 further characterized in that saidbobber body is comprised of a central annular section and a pair ofdetachable buoyant body end sec tions attached thereto, a centrallongitudinal passage extending through each of said end sections, saidwinding members being journalled for rotation in said central annularsection.

3. A bobber according to claim 1 further characterized in that acontinuous fishline passage extends through both of said windingmembers, said passage extending into one side of one of said windingmembers and out from the opposite side of the other of said windingmembers.

4. A bobber according to claim 3 further characterized in that saidpassage extends generally radially into one side of one of said windingmembers, axially through that member and into the other of said windingmembers andradially out from said other winding member.

5. A bobber according to claim 1 further characterized in that saiddisengaging means comprises a clutch memoer movable longitudinally inone of said winding members and a recess in the other of said windingmembers of geometrical configuration to receive one end of said clutchmember in operational engagement when said clutch .member isrnovedlongitudinally in one direction and to be freed from operationalengagement when the clutch member is moved longitudinally in the otherdirection.

6. A bobber according to claim 5 further characterized in that the otherend of said clutch means extends longitudinally along the axis ofrotation of one of said winding members and through the wall of saidbobber body cen tral section and is provided with an external knob,whereby said clutch may be disengaged from the recess of the other ofsaid winding members and rotated independently.

7. A bobber according to claim 1 further characterized in that saidwinding members rotate on a common axis and that axis is canted withrespect to the longitudinal axis of the bobber such that the path oftravel of fishline from each line guide to its corresponding windingmemher is substantially perpendicular.

8. A deep water casting bobber comprising (A) a buoyant bobber bodyhaving (1) a central annular section and (2) a pair of detachablebuoyant body end sections (a) attached to said central section, and (b)having a central longitudinal passage extending through each endsection, (3) a pair of line guides (11) at opposite ends of the bobberbody (b) in communication with said central passages (c) each adapted toguide fishline to a winding member; and (B) a pair of fishline windingmembers (1) journalled within said central annular body section, (2)said winding members being separate, but (3) engageable to permitrotation together on a common axis of rotation, and including (4) acontinuous fishline passage (a) extending through both of said windingmembers, (b) said passage extending (i) generally radially into one sideof one of said winding members, (ii) generally axially from one windingmember to the other, and (iii) then generally radially out from theopposite side of the other of said I winding members, and (5) a clutchmechanism including (a) a member movable longitudinally along the axisof one of said winding members,

and (b) a recess in the other of said winding members (i) adapted toreceive one end of said clutch member,

(0) spring means normally urging said clutch member into engagement withsaid recess, ([1) the other end of said clutch member (i) extendingthrough the wall of said central body section and (ii) being providedwith an external knob, whereby said clutch may be disengaged when saidclutch member is moved longitudinally against the pressure of saidspring means and the one of said Winding members including said clutchmember may be manually rotated independently of the other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. A DEEP WATER CASTING BODDER COMPRISING (A) A BUOYANT BODDER BODY, (B)A PAIR OF ROTATABLE FISHLINE WINDING MEMBERS WITHIN SAID BODY, (1) SAIDWINDING MEMBERS BEING SEPARATE, BUT (2) ENGAGEABLE TO PERMIT ROTATIONTOGETHER, (C) DISENGAGEABLE CONNECTING MEANS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAIDWINDING MEMBERS TO PERMIT ONE OF SAID WINDING MEMBERS TO BE ROTATEDINDEPENDENTLY, (D) KNOB MEANS SECURED TO ONE OF SAID ONE WINDING MEMBERSADAPTED WHEN TURNED TO ROTATE SAID ONE WINDING MEMBER INDEPENDENTLY, AND(E) A PAIR OF LINE GUIDES (1) AT OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE BOBBER BODY (2)EACH ADAPTED TO GUIDE DIFFERENT SEGMENTS OF THE SAME CONTINUOUS FISHLINETO ONE OF SAID WINDING MEMBERS.